"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess" - Jeff Kinney - (Hardcover, Amulet Books/Abrams Books)
The beloved "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series, now nearly 20 volumes long, has sold more than 290 million copies. In "Hot Mess" the focus is, as usual, on schoolboy Greg Heffley as he tries to protect the secret recipe of Gramma's meatballs while also wondering what makes them so delicious. That theme is intertwined with all the possibilities of the family's vacation which includes what Greg deems unexciting options like a lighthouse tour and a round of mini golf and an encounter with Uncle Gary, who for some reason dresses as a pirate. Similar quirky situations arise throughout the book which is also chock full of illustrations, and there are plenty of contemporary references like wondering about the ingredients in processed food, helicopter moms and being distracted by cell phones, and that old standby, peeing on the toilet seat makes an appearance too. So there's a lot going on besides meatball mania as the Heffley clan finds themselves embroiled in all sorts of mischief and kids will absolutely love it. And so will adults.
"Kitty-Corn Club: Things That Go" - Shannon Hale and Leuyen Pham - (Hardcover, Abrams Appleseed)
This title is for the youngest of readers and in consideration of how tough kids can be on books the content here is presented on a dozen double-sided pages that are made of resilient heavy duty cardboard. Meant to teach kids what certain items are and what they look like, each page features two fun items illustrated by Pham and with rhymes from Hale, such as "airplane/jet plane/space plane/construction crane." Kids will really enjoy the illustrations, especially since they also depict cute creatures; a kitty cat drives a dump truck, a unicorn paddles a kayak and a parrot rides a skateboard. Parents may have to explain the final illustration in the book as it depicts the unicorn entering a time machine!
"Black Lives: Great Minds of Science" - Tonya Bolden and David Wilkerson - (Hardcover, Abrams Fanfare)
Presented in the style of a graphic novel, this first entry in what is intended to be a series presents encapsulated life stories of nine lesser-known Black innovators like physician Matilda Evans, ornithologist Scott V. Edwards and aviator Patrice Clarke Washington, who was laughed at in high school when she announced that she wanted to be an airplane pilot. Well Patrice got the last laugh as she worked her way up from piloting local flights in the Bahamas to flying a UPS cargo jet all over the world and ultimately being inducted into the Organization of Black Aerospace Professional's Founders and Pioneers Hall of Fame. Bolden pens the bios for each chapter which also includes a time line summary of the innovator's accomplishments; Wilkerson's illustrations are interspersed and there are graphics on each page. Some of the other personalities that are spotlighted are marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, paleontologist and geologist David Wilcots, mathematician Gladys B. West and inventor Fred Jones who invented all kinds of refrigeration units including those for long haul trucks.
"The Idea in You" - Questlove and Sean Qualls - (Hardcover, Abrams Books)
Yes this children's book is written by Questlove, famed as being the drummer for the Roots. The idea here is to encourage kids to follow through on ideas they have and see where they can lead; certainly as a New York Times bestselling author, an accomplished musician, a producer and Academy Award-winning filmmaker, Questlove knows about following through on ideas. There are just a few words on each page but they are potent, for example telling kids they can "reach up into the sky and unhook a star" and noting that the star may "make a sound you can turn into a melody, a beat, a song." Nicely illustrated by Qualls, the book is "personalized" to the extent that he depicts just one kid all the way through the book so the young reader can picture themselves as that child. Upbeat and encouraging all the way through, the final words of the book are "an idea can come from anywhere. Now where will it go?"
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